After competing in more than 40 regattas across the country, as far as Boston and as near as the St. Johns River, the Jacksonville University Sailing Team finished 15th out of 20 at the Open National Championship and 17th out of 20 at the Women’s National Championship, marking the program's 12th consecutive appearance in the Open division and 10th consecutive appearance in the Women’s.
Pat Igoe '26 described the season in a single word: redemption.
"After missing out on finals by one point at the 2025 Nationals, our whole team had a shared goal of getting back there and finishing what we started," said Igoe, a sports business and marketing double major. The competition itself brought its own challenges. "Every morning we showed up to decent breeze with choppy waves, followed by a delay for no wind, then a completely new wind direction," Igoe said. "It made things interesting for us as a team because we had to stay locked in during that long delay and be prepared for anything."
“The team’s success at Nationals is a culmination of the hard work, long practices and dedication that this group of seniors put forward,” said Head Sailing Coach Jon Faudree. “After last year’s heartbreaking results, they came back determined to see the vision through and set a new standard for our sailors for years to come.”
Their preparation paid off. The team qualified for finals for the first time since 2021. Ella Wisely, a sports business major set to graduate in 2027, said the moment was the highlight of her time on the sailing team so far.
"Nothing could ever beat the pride and excitement our team felt having qualified for finals for the first time since 2021," Wisely said. "Those are emotions I'll never forget, and neither will anyone else from that weekend."
Both sailors emphasized how different competing at the national level felt compared to regular-season regattas. "The starting line is one of the hardest differences," Wisely said. "The line is always set to be just big enough for 18 boats, so everyone is gunning for a spot, and there is minimal room for error."
For Igoe, who competed in four national championships during his years on the team, the memories extend well beyond the racecourse. "Some of my favorite memories with this team came from the van rides," Igoe said. "However long the travel was, it never felt that long because of the teammates I was with. This team was like a family."
As Igoe looks ahead to a master’s program at JU and a future in coaching, Wisely is focused on the season ahead. "My personal goal for my last year is to keep this momentum going."
